Dear Mr. Shefsky:

In light of your recent announcement that you are planning to open a multistory aquarium in New York City’s Times Square, PETA would like to suggest an alternative proposal that will draw in visitors and keep sea animals in the ocean where they belong: “Mermaids in Manhattan.”

Instead of relegating fish and other animals to unnatural environments inside cramped tanks, displaying costumed synchronized swimmers—”mermaids”—to awe and entertain both tourists and locals is a marketing twist that has already proved successful. For more than 60 years, Florida’s “Weeki Wachee” underwater park’s performing “mermaids” have attracted visitors from around the world. This can be your opportunity to replicate a whimsical yet innovative idea and bring upscale underwater entertainment to Times Square.

Fish, like all animals, suffer horribly in captivity, and researchers are discovering that, in many ways, fish are not so very different from us after all. Recent studies have revealed that fish feel pain, learn faster than dogs, and have impressive long-term memories and sophisticated social structures. University of Edinburgh biologist Dr. Culum Brown says of fish, “In many areas, such as memory, their cognitive powers match or exceed those of ‘higher’ vertebrates, including nonhuman primates.”

More and more people are recognizing the cruelty in keeping sea dwelling animals in small glass tanks and are turning their backs on such displays. Development companies around the world are adjusting their business models accordingly to remain viable.

The time is right to think “outside the tank,” and by doing, so you can deliver on your promise to build an aquarium far from the “format you might imagine.” May we please hear from you? I can be reached at 206-367-0228 or LisaW@peta.org. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Lisa Wathne

Captive Exotic Animal Specialist